


I love you 5 thousand different ways

by LessonsFromMoths



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 5+1 Things, Affection, Again, Always, Awkward Crush, Back to my bullshit, Best Friends, Canon Compliant, College/University, Friends to Lovers, Like honestly how did this boy make it through, M/M, Pining Tsukishima Kei, Possibly Unrequited Love, Roommates, SO MUCH FLUFF, Supportive friends support each other, Through the Years, Time Gap, Tsukishima Kei is Bad at Feelings, Tsukishima is an awkward dork but we love him anyways, Tsukkiyama Week, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26064763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LessonsFromMoths/pseuds/LessonsFromMoths
Summary: Tsukishima Kei, frustrated with his possibly-years-long crush on his best friend, decides to take action. In the form of a 5-year plan. No, really, he's thought this through!5 love languages in 5 years. He's got this.OR: 5 times in which Tsukishima tries to confess using a different love language, + 1 time Yamaguchi confesses in Tsukki’s love language.Written for Tsukkiyama Week 2020!
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 129
Kudos: 491
Collections: TsukkiYama Week 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yess I'm so excited for this week! Support the hosts of this week [on twitter.](https://twitter.com/tsukkiyamaweek?lang=en)
> 
> If you kept up with me during EnnoTana week, you know that I also wrote a seven-chapter fic to celebrate, with each chapter being a different day. Unlike my Et fic, this one has a plot, and that plot is Tsukishima literally freaking out because he’s worried he can’t get his 5-year plan done in time (kinda like me freaking out about getting this fic done in time). Anyways, I hope you enjoy this because it's been an adventure to write.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1: ~~kiss,~~ affection, ~~fake relationship~~

Tsukishima Kei’s no idiot. Despite what others may think of him, he’s not completely inept when it comes to human interactions and relationships. He probably has Tadashi and -- _ugh_ \-- Akiteru to thank for that. As part of his self-proclaimed proficiency in human relations, he knows when he has to be honest with himself. And honestly, it’s time to confess to himself that he’s been in love with Tadashi since their second year of high school. Maybe longer. And it’s fine, really, it is, except despite how adept he is at noticing these sorts of things, he has no experience in actually acting upon them. 

How does one tell one’s best friend that one has been in love with them for a while now? 

Kei has not one clue. But enough about what he doesn’t know. 

What he does know can be summed up in a sentence: He is completely in love with his best friend, and this silly crush is not going away. He knows this because he has tried to get over it. Repeatedly. With multiple methods and techniques (all from Google and his mother’s embarrassing self-help books). And yet, these feelings just continued to escalate as time went on, swelling until Kei can barely get through volleyball practice without wanting to sweep Tadashi into his arms and tell him how incredible his serves are.

Yeah, this is getting out of hand. 

So he does what any rational person pining hopelessly after their childhood best friend would do: he comes up with a 5-year plan to win over Yamaguchi’s affections. Five years is perfect: it gives him a reasonable amount of time to back out just in case it doesn’t work out (year four will be the no-going-back-now point), it gives Tadashi ample time to get into and out of relationships (just in case he currently has no interest in Kei), and it forces Kei to not rush into things. 

Okay, so he may or may not be a coward. But at least he’s finally doing something about this years-long crush on his best friend, right?

“Tsukki!” He sees Tadashi waving frantically at him from outside the school. “Walk to the clubroom with me?” 

“Sure.” He falls into step with Tadashi as easily as ever. 

“You okay to lead blocking with the first years today?” 

Kei scoffs. “After that practice match with Nekoma? They’re lucky they still have their fingers to practice with.”

Tadashi laughs, throwing his head back in unabashed amusement at his words. “Yeah, we maybe shouldn’t have thrown them in when Lev was in the front row.” 

“That kid really became a problem,” Kei grumbles, wishing for the days when Lev could barely hit the ball. 

“At least their new setter isn’t half as perceptive as Kenma-san was. Otherwise we wouldn’t have stood a chance.” Tadashi produces the key to the clubroom from his jacket pocket and unlocks it, holding the door open for Kei after he flips the light on. 

“I’ll whip those first years into shape, Captain, no need to worry,” Kei mock salutes, causing Tadashi to playfully shove him away. 

“Stop calling me that! You know it’s embarrassing!” Kei grins at Tadashi’s reddening face. He loves the way his friend ducks to try and hide behind his lengthening hair. He’s been growing it out, and it’s now long enough to be tied into a small ponytail. It’s not like Kei himself can talk much, though. He’s let his hair grow a bit too, so that the ends curl around his ears. 

Their underclassmen start filtering into the clubroom and Kei takes it as his cue to leave, slipping out before any of them can approach him to say hello or talk about their days or, gods forbid, ask him for volleyball advice. He might be Tadashi’s vice captain, but he tries his best to not do more work than necessary outside of official volleyball hours. And according to his watch, practice didn’t start for another 6 minutes. 

Plus, he has his own things to worry about. Today is the first day that he’s implementing his 5-year plan. Because of his lack of knowledge in the love department and his refusal to ask Akiteru for anything that might get him laughed at, he turned to the internet for love advice. According to the internet, there are 5 love languages. Despite extensive research that may or may not have included Kei answering numerous online quizzes pretending to be Tadashi, he couldn’t pinpoint his best friend’s love language. So, as part of his 5-year plan, he would be testing each of the five languages. 

Today was physical touch. 

Generally, he and Tadashi didn’t really have a very touchy-feely relationship. They shared a bed as kids during sleepovers and sit so close that they’re often pressed up against each other, but casual touches such as clapping each other on the back or shoulder is something they’ve never really done. Sometimes they’ll elbow each other to get their attention, but it’s never something light. Casual. Shit, after almost a decade of friendship, can Kei randomly start initiating casual touches without alerting Tadashi that something’s up? He’s not sure. But he’s nothing if not dedicated to his schedule, so he resolves to make the attempt anyways.

It’s awkward. Oh god, it’s so awkward. 

Tadashi makes a great serve during their fifty serves at the beginning of practice, and Kei claps him on the back. His arm feels stiff, hand too much in a paddle shape rather than a natural star, and he underestimated how hard he should slap, inadvertently making the touch much more intimate than he meant it to be. Tadashi stiffens momentarily, then immediately relaxes, the confusion in his eyes overshadowed by his bright smile. 

“Thanks, Tsukki!” 

Okay. First touch, success. He’ll gauge Tadashi’s reception towards him for the rest of practice, and if there’s a negative change in his best friend’s behavior towards him, he’ll move on to the next love language. But the end of practice comes and goes, and Tadashi doesn’t act any different. Kei marks practice down as a complete success, even when he hears Hinata offhandedly commenting about his weird behavior during practice. 

“Are you guys joining us for meat buns?” Hinata asks the other third years, one hand on his backpack strap and the other pointing a thumb towards Kageyama. 

“Not today,” Tadashi speaks for both of them. “We have a big project that we need to work on.” 

Hinata just shrugs, undeterred. It isn’t unusual for Kei and Tadashi to beg out of post-practice meat buns. The five of them have grown a lot from the ornery first years they used to be, and Kei might (if held at gunpoint under severe stress) even dare to call Hinata and Kageyama friends. But still, he and Tadashi can’t always keep up with the two of them (or three, when they rope Yachi into their caffeine-fueled dimwitted plans) and are therefore experts at coming up with excuses. Even though it is true that they have a big project, it isn’t due for another three days. They even have plans to work on it tomorrow. 

Tadashi catches his eye and gestures towards the clubroom door. Kei nods quickly and then channels his inner Ukai. “Hurry it up!” he yells, “We don’t have all night. Go home and eat something full of protein!” His reputation as the no-nonsense vice precedes him, and his underclassmen immediately speed up, most of the background chatter disappearing in favor of getting the hell out of the clubroom and away from the possibility of Kei’s wrath.

They clear out pretty quickly, and Tadashi bumps his shoulder with his own as they leave the room themselves. “Thanks,” Tadashi says as he locks the door behind them. “All I want to do is go home and take a nap.”

“I couldn’t tell,” Kei says sarcastically as they start their journey home. “I think you might have yawned a minimum of twelve times during practice.” 

“Were you counting?” Tadashi teased. He was, in fact, counting, but twelve was all he caught. He’s sure he missed at least a few when the first years had his attention. “Yeah, I stayed up too late playing that new game I got. Again.” 

Kei rolls his eyes. Of course he did. Tadashi was lacking almost as much self control as the idiot duo. “You’re not setting a very good example, Captain,” he says, his words losing most of their bite the closer they get to their homes. In less than ten minutes, he’ll be attempting an uncharted physical touch that he and Tadashi had maybe engaged in once when they were kids. His thoughts are far away, trying not to focus too hard on what he’s about to do. 

“Alright, well I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Tsukki!” Tadashi waves Kei goodbye and goes to continue up the road. 

“Yamaguchi?” Kei calls out before he can take more than a step.

His friend turns around, face open. “Yeah?” 

Oh. Uh. “Um, would it be alright…? Can I...Is it okay if I hug you?” Kei is sure his face is some odd shade of red or pink that hasn’t been invented yet, and Tadashi’s eyes are as wide as saucers until he finally jolts into motion. 

“Of course! Yeah! Um.” He takes another step towards Kei, awkwardly extending his arms out in front of him. “Uh, come here? I guess?” 

Kei slowly steps into Tadashi’s embrace, gingerly wrapping his arms around his friend. Despite the years that have passed, their height difference has remained constant, with Tadashi’s hair pressed into his nose and eyes. Kei is surrounded by the scent and feel of Tadashi, and he wonders briefly why they’ve never hugged before. It’s nice, if a touch too hot. He also doesn’t know how hard to squeeze, or where to put his hands, but he enjoys the feeling of Tadashi’s chest pressed against his. 

Tadashi pulls away first and Kei follows suit, assuming that his friend knows much more about hug etiquette and how long is appropriate for a friendly one. 

“Thank you,” Kei says, unsure what to say since Tadashi hasn’t moved since pulling back from the embrace. Kei is avoiding Tadashi’s inquiring eyes by staring steadfastly at a spot of gravel. 

“Tsukki, is everything okay?” 

His eyes meet Tadashi’s. They’re warm and concerned, and Kei’s heart makes an odd _thu-thu-thunk_ sound. Did his heart just skip a beat? Did it add a beat? He doesn’t know. 

“Yes. Thank you, Yamaguchi. Have a nice nap.” 

“Sure,” Tadashi says, still looking a bit thrown. Kei gives him a half-wave, mostly just a flutter of his fingers, but that seems to snap his friend out of whatever haze he was in, and his eyes brighten as he waves enthusiastically back, turning to leave down the road. 

Kei contemplates their hug. He’s not sure if it’s a success or not. On one hand, they did complete it and Tadashi seemed confused but not uncomfortable. On the other hand, it was incredibly weird, and Tadashi would surely have more questions once he had time to think it over, probably during their morning walk tomorrow. Kei decides to save his final judgement for later. 

The results are explained for him when Tadashi starts hugging him goodbye and casually side-hugging him when he comes over for movie nights or study sessions. These results indicate three things: One, Tadashi’s love language is most likely not physical touch due to the unchanged nature of their relationship. Two, the 5-year plan is still on. Three, Tadashi enjoys this new hugging aspect of their relationship just as much as Kei does.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2: Domestic, roommates, ~~neighbors~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shorter one today because we have a longer one tomorrow!

“And how is Tadashi-kun?” His mother’s voice fills their small kitchen, tinny-sounding from his cell phone’s speaker. 

“He’s fine. He had an exam tonight, so he should be back soon. I’ll probably have to let you go.”

“Okay, Kei,” he can hear the barely-masked disappointment in her voice. “Thanks for calling your old ma. Will you call me again soon?” 

“Yes, Ma. Love you.”

“I love you too, Kei!” She ends the call, leaving Kei alone to do his dishwashing. He had fudged the truth a little -- while Tadashi did have an exam, he won’t be home for another hour or so. Tadashi is one of those students who checks all of his answers three or more times until the exam time is completely used up, so Kei knows to expect him back at about 9:30. 

While he waits, he dries the dishes and puts them away. Then he calls the ramen place by their apartment and orders his and Tadashi’s favorites -- their post-exam ritual. The ramen will arrive in about thirty minutes, so he has that long to tidy up. Their apartment may be small, but when it’s exam time for both of them it gets incredibly messy. 

They had both quietly decided to go to the same university. Kei knows that he would’ve followed Tadashi anywhere, so when his best friend invited him over one night and left his acceptance letter to his choice university on his desk, Kei got the hint. Rooming together, then, was a no-brainer. They spent all of their time together anyways, and neither of them wanted to live in a dorm, so they got a small two-bedroom apartment in Sendai. 

Kei was honestly surprised at how easy it was to fall into a routine. He shouldn’t have been: he and Tadashi had been following a partner routine their entire lives, but he had expected university to change things. It didn’t. They take turns making dinner and sometimes even make it together (despite the fact that neither of them are particularly good at cooking, and usually burn their food more than not), they have a carefully crafted chore list courtesy of Tadashi, and they know when to leave the other alone to study or unwind. Their movie nights are still intact, as are their walks to campus every morning. It’s so domestic that sometimes it makes Kei’s chest ache. It doesn’t help that they’re much closer than they’ve ever been before. Literally.

Ever since he started initiating touches, their friendship has evolved. Tadashi will come up behind him and give him unsolicited hugs, they’ll cuddle on the couch during movie night, and whenever they go out they always find a way to be pressed up against each other. Kei, obviously, does not mind this development. It’s definitely an exercise in self-control, but he’ll take the friendly touches from Tadashi over their pre-Phase 1 friendship any day. Their touching also seems to have a calming effect on Tadashi, which has been extremely helpful during the stress of their midterms. 

But, now that midterms are over, it’s time to implement Phase 2. This time, he’s moved onto the next love language: Acts of Service. Apparently, he’s supposed to lighten Tadashi’s load. The best way he can think to do that is to do his chores for him. This morning, Tadashi had mentioned that he would do his chores when he got back from his last exam, but Kei’s used his entire (exam-free) day to do both his and Tadashi’s chores. It’s not too bad, just time-consuming and exhausting, and by the time Tadashi is pushing through the front door and calling, “Home!” Kei is dozing on the couch. 

“Sorry, did I wake you?” Tadashi looks horrified as he slips his shoes off and lays down his bag.

Kei tries and fails to stifle a yawn, sitting up and waving his hand around dismissively. “Just a nap. How did your exam go?”

Tadashi’s expression morphs into a tentative smile. “I think it went really well. I didn’t leave anything blank.” 

“Well I’d hope not. You studied hard for that exam. I’m sure you did great.”

“Thanks Tsukki!” Tadashi’s smile gets bigger. Kei turns away in hopes that he can stop himself from fantasizing about kissing the smile off of his best friend’s face. It doesn’t really work.

“I got us ramen,” he says, clearing his throat awkwardly as he stands to get the takeout bag from their microwave. 

“You’re the best!” Tadashi says, resting his hand on Kei’s shoulder blade before breaking contact to get them silverware and napkins. “I can’t believe we’re finally done with midterms. I thought they were going to kill me.” 

“You sure you didn’t die? You kind of look like a zombie to me,” Kei pokes at the bags under Tadashi’s eyes playfully. Tadashi bats him away, laughing. 

“I kind of feel like a zombie. You can’t be mad at me if I fall asleep during our movie!” 

“No promises,” Kei quips back, a private smile on his face as he makes himself comfortable on the couch. Tadashi takes a little longer, stopping by his bedroom to change into his pajamas. 

There’s a strangely long silence and Kei cranes his neck towards the bedrooms. “You alright?” 

Tadashi appears from his bedroom door, looking stunned. “Tsukki, did you do my laundry?” 

Kei immediately turns away, feeling hot. “I, uh, hope you aren’t mad.” 

“Mad?” Tadashi walks into the living room. “I come back home after a week of hell to find all my dirty clothes clean and folded neatly on my bed. I...Did you do that for me?” 

“Of course, idiot. Who else would I do it for?” Kei is still steadfastly ignoring Tadashi’s gaze. 

“Tsukki! Thank you!” Kei barely has time to set his ramen on the side table before Tadashi is launching himself at the couch, awkwardly forcing his arms around Kei’s torso. He shoves his head into Kei’s neck, squeezing him tightly before pulling back. 

“I, uh, also finished up those dishes. So don’t worry about them,” he stiffly scratches the back of his neck, feeling self conscious. 

“Oh my god. You know you’re picking the movie tonight, right? And I’m making you dinner for a week. And giving you so many hugs you’re gonna hate my face.” Tadashi pulls him in for another hug, and Kei can’t hold back a chuckle. That doesn’t even make sense. Kei could never hate Tadashi’s face.

“Shut up, Yamaguchi,” he grumbles, face burning. 

“Thanks, Kei,” Tadashi murmurs in his ear before pulling away, bouncing away to the kitchen to grab his ramen. “What movie are we watching?” 

Kei doesn’t even remember what movie he picks. He’s still too gobsmacked from Tadashi whispering his name in his ear. Fuck. That man is going to be the death of him. This entire goddamn 5-year plan is going to be the death of him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Childhood, artist, ~~writer~~ , mangaka

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the manga museum they visit is heavily based off of the [Ishinomori Manga Museum](http://www.mangattan.jp/manga/en/) in Miyagi! Check out the website if you're bored, it seems like a pretty cool place!! 
> 
> Un-beta'd, sorry for mistakes :)

Something’s been bothering Tadashi. Kei can see it in the furrow of his brow, in the set of his jaw, in the hesitance of his touches and words. It makes him want to scream. Does Tadashi not feel comfortable telling him? Or, gods, did Tadashi find out about his major crush? Kei doubts it, but he hates the new reluctance that he sees in his best friend. He figures that now is as good a time as any to implement the next phase in his 5-year plan: Quality Time. It’s the next love language on his list, and also will hopefully be a good time to initiate a conversation about what’s been bothering Tadashi.

This is completely new territory, mostly because Tadashi is incredibly good (sometimes too good) at communicating. So it’s very obvious that something is wrong when Kei has to be the one to drag Tadashi’s feelings out of him to figure out what’s wrong. It’s a complete role reversal and he’s not exactly thrilled. He wonders if this is how Tadashi feels when he has to wrestle with Kei’s emotions. 

“Yamaguchi,” Kei says, standing near the couch that his friend is splayed on. He feels stilted and wrong. 

“Hmm?” Tadashi has a textbook open on his lap but is scrolling through his phone, Tumblr or Twitter or something equally as annoying. 

“Do you...have any plans today?” 

Tadashi puts down his phone, probably sensing the weird aura around Kei. His brow furrows in worry. “Not really. What’s up?” 

“Do you maybe want to uh, go to that one Manga Museum?” 

Tadashi’s face melts from concern into joy. Kei loves how expressive he is, how he never has to guess at his friend’s reactions. “You mean the one that we made our parents drive us to all the time? I think they hate that place now.” 

Kei smiles a little at the memory. Young Kei and Tadashi were sure that they would become mangakas, both of them drawing and creating stories and collaborating on their ideas. But neither of them was patient enough to focus on art or the act of improving, so that dream had tapered off as quickly as it had arrived. But it had never stopped them from loving the manga museum. 

“Do you hate it?” Kei didn't even consider the possibility that Tadashi might think that it’s too childish, or boring now that they’re in their second year of university. 

“Tsukki, I don’t think I could ever hate that place. We had so much fun there.” 

“So...is that a yes to heading there today?”

“Yes!”

The museum has grown since the last time they visited it in middle school. The curator increased their collection tenfold, and everything seems just as exciting as it did when they made their first trip when they were small. It’s shiny and large, with bright colors and life-sized figures to draw their attention to the bigger exhibits. Tadashi is one of those people who can’t focus on one exhibit at once. He bounces from item to item, excitedly elbowing Kei when he sees something new he likes. 

“This was the first shonen that featured an outwardly gay character,” Kei says as Tadashi gazes at a colorful cover. 

“How’d you know that!?” Tadashi looks impressed. Kei just points lazily at the inscription below the glass case. “Oh,” Tadashi laughs at himself. He suddenly grips Kei’s arm roughly. “The video hall presentation is going to start soon! If we go now we won’t miss it!” 

Kei lets himself be dragged into the darkened room, where they sit at attention and watch a short compilation of original works, all of which make Tadashi gasp in delight and joy. Kei does have to admit that the little animations are cute. 

They move onto the second floor, where they’re greeted by a permanent science fiction exhibit that’s been there since they were little. Kei presses a worn button that triggers all the sound effects, and Tadashi tugs him towards their favorite statue, one of a wide-eyed cyborg dressed in green, and they watch as he lights up when they trigger his motion sensors. 

They continue through the second floor, joining the worlds of street racers and hotel workers and action-packed manga universes. There’s an entire undersea world for them to explore with large statues and insane lights. “Is it just me, or have they improved this place since the last time we were here?” Tadashi’s eyes are glowing, his anxieties from before dissipating in the face of wonderment. Kei can hardly rip his eyes from his friend: his eyes wide and pretty in the undersea lights, his fingers comforting as they grip a little too tightly onto Kei’s forearm, his body heat welcome in the coolness of the atmosphere. 

Tadashi’s favorite floor, though, is the third floor. His sharp intake of breath is enough to make Kei glance over at him. He finds his friend already looking at him, a question in his eyes.

Kei sighs loud and long to let him know that he’s not doing this very voluntarily. “Fine. Lead the way.”

“Yes!” Tadashi cheers, dragging him over to the “Make-Your-Own-Manga” station. There are a bunch of electronic drawing tablets set up throughout the area and he and Tadashi crowd around one tablet, sharing the pen. To an outsider they probably look like an annoying couple, giggling and trying their hardest to be quiet as they debate their drawing. 

“No, I get to draw the nose,” Kei grabs the pen, erasing Tadashi’s poor excuse of a nose and starting his own attempt.

“You suck at noses,” Tadashi pouts

“You suck more,” Kei reminds him. 

“Fair. But I get to do the eyes!” 

“Of course,” Kei says, the tip of his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth as he draws, erases, and redraws a crooked nose. “Good enough.” He hands the pen back to Tadashi, who creates the eyes in a few swipes. He’s always been good at that part. 

“What design should she have on her t-shirt?” Tadashi asks, tapping the end of the pen against Kei’s hand. 

“A mushroom,” Kei suggests.

“Love it.” Tadashi gets to work doodling one of those cute Nintendo Mario mushrooms on her shirt. “Do you want to style her hair?” 

Kei grins, taking the proffered pen from his friend. He sketches something akin to a mop or a collection of potato peels atop her head. Last is the coloring, which Kei leaves for Tadashi. He chooses a green and pink theme, adding in dashes of blue where he deems it necessary. 

“Introducing the incredible Akari!!” Tadashi reveals their drawing with a flourish. 

“Any particular reason you named her after your mom?” Kei asks, amused.

“It was the first girl name that came to mind!” Tadashi defends. 

Kei tilts his head at their creation. “I can’t lie, she kind of looks like Chichiyaku.”

Tadashi closes his eyes in defeat. “Tell me you did not just compare our beautiful manga girl to the frog bathhouse worker in Spirited Away. Tell me you didn’t.” 

“Wish I could.” Kei winces exaggeratedly, grinning when Tadashi socks him in the arm. “Hey! I’m not wrong!” Tadashi pulls up a picture of Chichiyaku on his phone and holds it next to the tablet, and Kei snaps a picture for comparison. “Yamaguchi, I hate to say it again….”

Tadashi groans. “She looks like freakin’ Chichiyaku.” Tadashi erases the picture on the tablet before they leave the drawing station so that they won’t give any little kids nightmares. Kei still has the evidence of their monstrosity on his phone, though. “Remind me to never draw again,” Tadashi laments. 

Kei rolls his eyes at his friend’s dramatics. “C’mon, let’s head to the library section.” 

They peruse the mangas until their eyes hurt, then decide to eat a late lunch at the cafe on the third floor. Kei grabs them a table with a view over the city and Tadashi slides into the chair next to him, a small tray filled with food in his hands. There aren’t many people in the cafe, and Kei knows that this is the best time to confront Tadashi. 

“Yamaguchi,” he starts, and Tadashi looks up from his meal, noodles hanging from his mouth. Kei swallows. He’s never been good at these sorts of things, not in the way Tadashi is. He tries to recall one of their conversations when Tadashi was able to navigate his feelings. “I noticed recently that something’s been bothering you.” 

Tadashi pauses just long enough for Kei to know that he hasn’t been imagining things. “No Tsukki, I’m fine.” He returns to his noodles, looking very interested in them. 

“I’m not an idiot. And I’m not good at... _this,”_ Kei makes a vague gesture with his hands, “but you’re my friend and I want you to know I’m here. For you. If you need me to be.”

Tadashi drops his chopsticks, eyes widening with every second he looks at Kei. Kei’s face turns red and he slightly turns away, trying to seem nonchalant even though his cover’s been blown. Tadashi swallows whatever food is still in his mouth and reaches across the table as if to take Kei’s hand, then retracts it. 

Kei plows forward. “I know that you’ve been spending a lot of time with Aimi lately, and if this is about her or you wanting to move in with her or something I--”

“Tsukki! No! It’s nothing like that. Besides, Aimi-chan and I are just friends. We’re not like that,” Tadashi is quick to say. He huffs a breath out, and Kei knows that he’s got him. “I just, lately, you know, I’ve been kind of wondering...if, like--”

“Yamaguchi.” Kei tilts his head with purpose. 

“Fine, fine,” Tadashi mumbles. “I was just wondering if you’re happy. You know. Living with me.”

Kei knows that his face must look ridiculous right now, because Tadashi immediately splutters away in an incomprehensible explanation. “What?” Kei asks, sure he just misunderstands. 

“I mean...we’ve been friends for a long time and then I kind of just assumed that we would room together in university but then I realized that I never asked you if you actually wanted to we both just filled out the forms and then boom we were roommates and I never thought anything of it but then lately you’ve been kind of distant and I’m wondering if I did something wrong or if maybe you never wanted to still be friends in the first place and so. I….” Tadashi trails off, silenced by the expression on Kei’s face. 

“Yamaguchi. Have I ever been subtle about my distaste for something?” It’s silent for a moment. “That was not rhetorical.” 

“No,” Tadashi says. 

“Have I ever told you that I don’t want to be around you?” 

“No.”

“Have I ever acted as if I don’t want to be around you?” 

“...No.”

Kei takes a deep breath. “Yamaguchi, you know me better than anyone. We have spent the last decade of our lives being pretty much glued to the other’s side. And I think that you, before anyone else, would know if I hated you or disliked living with you.” Tadashi’s face is a mixture of shock and some other emotion Kei can’t decipher. “I might have been distracted lately, but I have never regretted keeping you in my life. Are we clear?” Tadashi quickly nods. “Good.” 

“Tsukki,” Tadashi sniffs, and Kei is horrified to see that his friend is tearing up. Oh gods, what did he say wrong? “I think that was the healthiest communication you’ve ever had with me.” Tadashi launches himself at Kei once again, wrapping him up in a hug that feels safe and wonderful. When he pulls back, Tadashi’s eyes are dry. 

“Thank you for taking me out here today,” he says, standing to throw away their trash. “I forgot how much I missed this place.” Kei is feeling a little frustrated but a lot content as they make their way back down to the first floor. This phase didn’t really work either, but it’s fine, because this is the exact reason why Kei has 5 years to his plan rather than 3. Tadashi doesn’t have to be in love with him yet. Kei is patient, almost limitlessly, and he can wait. He doesn’t mind because he knows that a lifetime with Tadashi is worth it. 

Kei follows Tadashi out of the museum, resisting the urge to grab his hand from where it swings near his, their fingers brushing once in a while. Kei has never been one for overly-affectionate outbursts, so he just knocks his shoulder lightly against Tadashi’s, causing the other man to turn and smile at him. “Thanks for coming,” he says simply. He says it as if Tadashi might have said no. But that’s one of the things he loves most about Tadashi -- he’s endlessly supportive and always willing to put his trust in the people he loves. It makes Kei feel incredibly special, being one of the people who Tadashi would follow to the ends of the earth just because Kei wanted him to. 

He thinks that he, too, would follow Tadashi anywhere, if he only asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they just make my heart melt okay and Tsukishima's pining is so on-brand. Also Tadashi worried that Tsukishima doesn't like him anymore is also very on-brand.
> 
> Also, the Spirited Away character they were talking about [here](https://ghibli.fandom.com/wiki/Chichiyaku)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Post-canon, timeskip, ~~retail~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, a lot later update tonight! Anyways, if you know me you know there's gotta be a tiiiinyyy bit of angst in my fics. So, here is the extremely small angst. I mean c'mon, it's Kei. He's literally a ball of angst. It's why we love him so.
> 
> Un-beta'd!

The world might be ending a little bit. 

Okay, that might be overdramatic. 

But to Kei, his world is ending. His new-but-old, _I-just-graduated-university-and-moved-into-my-first-big-boy_ apartment is somehow bigger than the one that he and Tadashi shared throughout uni and he can definitely feel the emptiness. Every move he makes echoes off the walls and hits him like a physical punch to the face. 

Tadashi moved to Tokyo last week. Objectively, Tokyo isn’t very far. A slightly too-long train ride could get him there without much trouble. But when you think about it, this is furthest that he and Tadashi have ever been from each other. And he’s 22 years old for fuck’s sake, he’s supposed to be okay with this. He’s supposed to be ready to grow up. But his brain is having too much trouble processing the fact that Tadashi...isn’t here. 

Ten years ago, all he would have to do was walk a few blocks away to see Tadashi’s smile. 

Four years ago, he just had to show up to school to spend an entire day with him.

One year ago, all he had to do was walk out of his bedroom to hear the upbeat inflection in Tadashi’s voice as he greeted his friend. 

And now he’s alone in his too-big apartment, his closest connection to Tadashi is his phone sitting only a few centimeters away, and his chest is feeling empty and cold. Kei never thought that he’d be this damn dramatic. He didn't think he even had the capacity to be. But being permanently separated from Tadashi feels like there’s a string attached to his sternum, and it’s always being tugged in Tadashi’s direction, and Kei can’t follow the string, and the longer he resists its pull the more painful it gets until it leaves a gaping hole in the middle of his chest, magnetizing him still towards his missing piece. 

_Fuuuuuck._ Kei has never been one to feel nostalgia, but he thinks that might be what this feeling is. He sees Tadashi in everything, and it puts a pit in the bottom of his stomach and he wants to scream and cry until the feeling finally goes away. 

Tadashi moved to Tokyo last week.

Kei himself started his own big kid job in Sendai, at the Sendai City Museum. He’s one of their amateur curators, in charge of organizing and keeping collections for them. It’s a job he truly enjoys, using his anthropological background and critical thinking skills to examine and investigate new pieces that come to their museum every day. It makes living in Sendai bearable. 

To make up for the fact that his best friend and first love is all the way in Tokyo, Kei makes an effort to officially reconnect with Akiteru. Tadashi had been pushing him all through college to mend their relationship fully, and he makes a promise when Tadashi leaves to follow through. Akiteru, being the dumbass that he is, left his job as an office worker to start up his own floral shop. He saw that there was a need for them in Sendai and decided to start growing and selling flowers. Admittedly, they are beautiful, and Kei has spent many nights in the back of the floral shop with Akiteru and his friends, drinking and playing cards with the scent of flowers permeating the air. But also, because it’s Akiteru, it’s dumb. 

The first few days without Tadashi were fine. Kei could forget that his best friend had moved hours upon hours away ( _you’re_ being dramatic, Akiteru) for his new job. But once the three day mark hit, Kei dissolved into an absolute mess. He missed the casual hugs from the only person in his life he initiated physical contact with. He missed Tadashi’s goofy laugh, the one that he only let loose when it was just him and Kei because he hates the way it sounds (Kei loves it, but then again he also loves Tadashi’s nasally snickers that he does in public, too). He missed seeing Tadashi’s smile when Kei told him about his day, or managed not to burn dinner, or chided Tadashi about leaving his shoes in an unseemly pile by the door. 

But Tadashi moved to Tokyo last week. And everything is not fine.

He broke the news without fanfare or hesitation on a cool Tuesday night. "Tsukki, I got the job!!" It was one of those things where Tadashi applied to a dream job and then a few more reasonable ones, fully expecting his resume to be tossed to the side. But the second he got the phone call about this job in Shinjuku City, his eyes were shining with excitement as he braced himself on Kei's shoulders, jumping up and down and probably making their downstairs neighbor hate them. 

"That's great," Kei had said, a smile frozen to his face. For the first time, Tadashi hadn't noticed how fake -- how awful of a friend -- he was being. Tadashu had skipped around their apartment and Kei had bought them celebration takeout and had swallowed ramen through the sick feeling rising in his throat. He himself had already accepted a position with the Sendai City Museum right out of university. They were at another fork in the road, and this time, unlike middle school and high school and university, they weren't taking the same path.

Moving him out was a blur, mostly because Kei himself was also moving out into his one-bedroom apartment near the museum and Akiteru's flower shop. He remembers sweating as they lugged boxes of their crap down the stairs (it doesn't escape his notice that he has so much more to bring down than he ever brought up -- Tadashi's crap has turned into his and his into Tadashi's. It's a wonder they ever figured out who had custody over what). He recalls seeing Tadashi's mom crying and hugging him, and relating to her more than he ever had before. 

Their goodbye wasn't brief. 

They had spent the day walking around Sendai, people-watching and marvelling at the alien act of growing old. Tadashi had bought them cupcakes and they ate them sitting on a bench outside of their apartment, watching the sun lower in the sky. 

Phase 4 of his 5-year plan was officially out the window. Maybe the entire 5-year plan was ruined, now that Tadashi was so far away. But once they had returned to their apartment for their last night there, Kei had implemented Phase 4 anyways. 

"Here," Kei had shoved a box into Tadashi's hands, startling him.

"Tsukki?" Tadash had looked at the box, then back up at him.

"Open it," Kei shrugged.

Tadashi had tore into the box. He had always been a wonderful gift receiver: his eyes lit up, his smile already wide. "Oh, Tsukki!" He said delightedly, pulling out his gift. 

He had spent forever picking it out, trying to find the perfect thing for Phase 4: Receiving Gifts. It wasn't something he'd ever pick out for himself, but the second he saw the lamp, he knew he had to get it. 

It was a "Long Distance Friendship Lamp," something he had vaguely seen advertised before but never paid attention to. Apparently, if you touch the lamp, the partner lamp will light up that color. To realond, you tap your own lamp and they both light up a new color. Kind of dumb. But Kei wasn't good at responding to or composing texts, so he figured that if he wanted to make sure Tadashi was still alive he'd just tap the lamp and hopefully get a tap back. 

He thought that he would have to explain the gift, but Tadashi immediately recognized it. "Tsukki!! Thank you!" Their hug had lasted much longer than usual, Tadashi's warm body nestled gently into Kei's own as they said a quiet, premature goodbye before their final one in the morning. 

So now Kei is Tadashi-less in Sendai, wishing that he could somehow not be in love with his best friend. It's a hopeless endeavor (even now, with Tadashi miles and miles away), but he hopes that one day he'll be able to finish his plan and tell Tadashi how he feels. 

Kei goes to bed alone. He stares out the window for a while, then his phone, then the ceiling. He wishes he could hear the tell-tale signs of Tadashi slowly getting ready for bed. He's always much too loud: slamming his drawers shut, forgetting things and walking to and from his bedroom, the bathroom, and the kitchen at least 5 times before finally settling in his room. 

The light on his bedside table lights up purple, his favorite color. He immediately reaches out and taps the top of the lamp, a small smile already on his face. It flashes blue when he touches it. A warmth spreads across his entire body, and even though the tugging in his chest increases tenfold he's happy to be reminded that Tadashi is thinking of him, too. Less than a minute later the lamp turns green before completely blinking off, and Kei is left alone again.

Tadashi moved to Tokyo last week, and it isn't getting any easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Tadashi moved away Tsukki would be _so. sad._
> 
> Also I just wanted to thank everyone who's been reading this and leaving super lovely comments and kudos! You are all appreciated so much! xx


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Laugh, smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops this one is coming a day late hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha my bad.
> 
> will Day 6 be posted later or tomorrow? I can't lie, I don't know yet lol. anyways enjoy this chapter it was super wholesome to write ngl

"Show me everything."

"Everything?"

Kei stares down his best friend. "I said what I said." 

Tadashi grins at him, wide and unbridled, and Kei's heart aches. He's missed this. He's missed Tadashi's smile and Tadashi's touches and _Tadashi._ So much isn't the same, but so much has refused to change, too. One of those things is the way Tadashi looks at him, exasperated and fond. It hasn't changed since the first time he directed it at Kei when they were young and Kei had tried to explain the difference between the omnivore and herbivore dinosaurs. 

“Well? Come inside.” 

Kei follows Tadashi through the large glass doors of the building. It’s huge and glass and Kei can barely hold back a gasp. “And in Tokyo, you were at the headquarters?” 

“The headquarters,” Tadashi confirms. “This is like a mouse compared to the elephant of headquarters.” Kei wonders when Tadashi started walking like that: flat-footed and so sure of every step. Maybe he’s always walked that way and Kei just never noticed. 

“...course, they give tours of the headquarters,” Tadashi is saying, and Kei tries to tune in. “And here,” Tadashi leads him down a hallway and grandly opens a small door, “are the lobby bathrooms.” Kei shoots him a flat look, and Tadashi laughs, the shit-eating grin on his face morphing into pure joy. “You said everything!” 

“I suppose I deserved that,” Kei monotones. 

“I missed this,” Tadashi says with a sudden seriousness. Kei shoots him a questioning look, and Tadashi waves his hands around vaguely. “Y’know. Your deadpan expressions. Flat voice. All,” Tadashi schools his expression, raising his eyebrows in a disinterested quirk and raising his eyes to the ceiling boredly, ‘Yamaguchi. Shut up.’” He mimics Kei’s voice, doing a fairly accurate impression. 

“You’re ridiculous,” Kei says, but his heart is the one about to beat out of its chest because of the insane amount of fondness he feels for his best friend. He can’t believe that he’s here, in front of him. 

It’s almost been a year since Tadashi left for Tokyo, and he's already back. He's already back. Tadashi had finished his training with the electronics company he worked for, and Kei doesn't know all the details because when Tadashi told him over the phone, he was only focused on the 5 words Tadashi had said before: _"I'm being transferred to Sendai."_ Something about budget cuts and people shuffling and "moving up the corporate ladder." Kei might not be sure what brought Tadashi back to him, but he's damn glad it did. 

Because even though he had to take a hiatus, the 5-year plan is still in action. The last year without Tadashi had been tough, painful at times, but ultimately it might have been for the best. Because now that Kei knows what life without Tadashi is like, he has never been more sure in his life about never being separated again. Tadashi seems to share the sentiment to some degree, because ever since he’s gotten back (a little less than a week ago, now), he’s been spending every free moment with Kei. They’re always at each other’s apartments, or hanging out in Akiteru’s flower shop, or going to one of their old haunts from university. And now Kei’s convinced Tadashi to give him an official tour of his workplace. 

It’s a really nice workplace.

“And this is where my research engineers are,” Tadashi had led them into an elevator and up to the third floor, where he now gestures towards a large array of cubicles. 

_“Your_ research engineers?” Kei asks, trying to count all the desks and failing. 

Tadashi shrugs, hunching in a bit on himself. “Well yeah, I did transfer here for management.” Management. After one year with the company. 

“That’s incredible,” Kei says. 

Tadashi immediately pinkens. “I mean, I didn’t really do anything amazing! It’s just that the guy I was working under really liked me and so he talked me up to some of his subordinates who also happened to be in charge of hiring and then they met me and apparently saw potential or some shit like that and then…” Tadashi rambles on, trying to justify his current position, and Kei just can’t stop staring at him. 

Tadashi has always been wonderful. In fact, he’s extraordinary. Kei’s known this for so long that it’s an unspoken fact at this point. But for some reason, no one other than Kei has ever noticed before. Even when they were in high school and Tadashi quickly and efficiently climbed the ranks to pinch server and eventually captain, no one saw how amazing his journey had been. Kei could be biased, but he doesn’t think so. He might actually be the only living person who has the objective truth that Tadashi is extraordinary, because he’s seen him grow from that little kid in the dirt on the playground to right now, standing in front of hundreds of cubicles and calling them his employees. 

More obviously, Tadashi has always been a people person. It’s even more evident when he’s next to Kei, since Kei is so awkward and cold around strangers, but Tadashi is one of the friendliest people you could know. He has a knack for remembering birthdays, his bows are oddly charming because of how long his torso is, and his eyes are soft and inviting. It’s no wonder he was shot straight to management. They must have seen the same thing that Kei always has. They might be the first ones to actually acknowledge it. 

“Tsukki?” He blinks, leaving his reverie. “You just zoned out for a minute there. You good?” 

“You’re extraordinary,” Kei blurts, watching as Tadashi’s face goes from mildly perturbed to severely embarrassed, shocked into silence. Kei doesn’t regret the words though, no matter how much he didn’t mean to say them. This is it. This is the beginning of the fifth and final phase, and he’s filled with the need to implement it _right now._

“Uh, Tsukki?” Tadashi stutters, still searching for words. 

“You’re extraordinary,” Kei repeats. Phase 5, Words of Affirmation. Encourage, affirm, listen actively, appreciate. He can do this. He looks Tadashi dead in the eye and takes a deep breath. 

“You’re working for the company you’ve always loved, making equipment and managing engineers. You’ve consistently worked harder than anyone I have or will ever know, and you deserve this position. I’m sure your future will only bring you more happiness and success, because no one is more deserving.”

Kei swallows, refusing to break the eye contact he’s been maintaining. His train of thought is breaking rapidly, so he knows he needs to wrap this up. “I’m so proud of you, Tadashi, and above all you should be incredibly proud of yourself for all you have and will accomplish.” 

They stand in front of the empty elevator, in an empty office, the words Kei said floating between them. Tadashi opens his mouth, closes it, then opens and closes it again. He can’t seem to say anything. 

“Sorry. I just...wanted you to know,” Kei looks away now, extremely embarrassed. Maybe Tadashi didn’t want to hear sappy crap like that from him. Or maybe he felt like Kei saying all of that was condescending. Was it condescending? He didn’t mean it like that, but maybe he’s wondering if Kei somehow thinks that he’s better than him, or maybe that Kei has never been proud of him before, which would be a complete lie because--

His thoughts are cut off by Tadashi roughly pulling him into his arms, hugging him more tightly even than their goodbye about a year ago. “Thanks, Kei,” Tadashi chokes out, and Kei can feel something damp wet his t-shirt. He can’t even remember the last time Tadashi called him Kei. Years ago, probably. 

“Come on, you sap,” Kei pulls away, though he doesn't want to. He knows Tadashi doesn’t take it personally. “All I’ve seen is the lobby, the bathrooms, and the cubicles of your minions. I hardly think this counts as everything.” He raises his eyebrows teasingly, and Tadashi wipes at his eyes, laughing wetly but genuinely. 

“You jerk. You just said the nicest thing ever to me and then you expect me to continue with business as normal?”

Kei smirks. “Is that not your job? Business as normal?”

“Fuck you, Tsukki,” Tadashi wipes another tear, punching Kei lightly in the arm and pressing the call button for the elevator. “You’re so mean.”

Kei gasps dramatically. “I’ll have you know that I’m the nicest person I’ve ever met.”

“You need to meet more people.”

Kei laughs, following Tadashi through the rest of the tour with a wide smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadashi totally works for Sony that's all I'm saying (even tho their HQ is in Minato and not Shinjuku)
> 
> oh damn Kei has officially reached Year 5 of his plan...how is that gonna work out for him?
> 
> (also if you can't tell Words of Affirmation is 100% Tadashi's love language)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6: ~~Only one bed~~ , Flower Shop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my favorite chapter!! ahh!! (still a day late but its fine). Last day should be posted tomorrow, and will be a fluffy as hell epilogue that i have yet to write. wish me luck!
> 
> tadashi pov, enjoy!!

“Wait, Suga and Daichi were dating?” Kageyama looked dumbly between them all, onigiri frozen halfway to his mouth.

Tadashi couldn’t remember the last time they had four out of the five of them in one place, and he can’t even describe how good it feels to be around his old friends. “Kageyama!” Yachi is laughing too hard to get any more words out. 

“They disappeared into the equipment room during water breaks all the time!” Tadashi guffawed. “What in the hell did you think they were doing in there!? Checking equipment?” 

“Yes!” Kageyama crossed his arms defensively, throwing down his chopsticks. 

Hinata punches Kageyama in the arm. “We literally ran into them while they were on a date once!” 

“I thought they were friends!! Best friends go to fairs together too!” They all burst out laughing again. 

“Okay okay,” Hinata finally winds down, catching his breath. “But speaking of best friends, how is Tsukishima? And why did he stiff us tonight?” Hinata tries to pout, but he’s still laughing at Kageyama.

“Akiteru’s sick, and Tsukki owes him a favor. So he had to run the flower shop tonight. But he’s doing great! He just got more responsibility at the museum and he’s really enjoying it.”

“Do you still see him often?” Yachi asked.

“Almost every day,” Tadashi smiled proudly. He thought it was quite a feat to be best friends for thirteen years (and counting!). 

"Okay, but wait, what I’ve always really wanted to know is how you managed to live with him for three years in college!” Hinata suddenly burst, cheeks a little flushed from the alcohol they were sharing. He had only had a few drinks, but Hinata had always been a lightweight.

“What do you mean?” Tadashi laughs.. 

“I mean, how could you stand his unrequited pining? Didn’t it get... _too much?”_ Tadashi freezes. Unrequited pining? What is Hinata talking about?

“Yeah, it was pretty bad in high school,” Kageyama points out.

“I went over there a few times, and I can promise you it was worse at university!” Yachi nods along. “Poor guy had it bad. I hope you let him down easy?” 

“Yeah, is he still on that 5-year plan, or did you finally tell him that you aren’t interested?” Hinata asks, not unkindly. Even though they’re Tadashi’s friends first, they still like Tsukshima well enough.

Tadashi feels like he’s missed a crucial piece of information. Which is near impossible, because he’s an impeccable listener. It’s why his friends always come to him when they need a shoulder. But for the life of him he can’t remember them talking about Tsukki’s love life, or this person he’s supposedly been in love with for so long. 

“What are you guys talking about?” Tadashi asks, and they all turn to him in confusion. 

“You don’t...know?” Yachi asks carefully. 

“I’m seriously so confused right now. Tsukki has a crush on someone?” 

The three of them trade looks before Hinata takes the lead. “Yamaguchi, Tsukishima has been in love with you since high school.”

“Maybe longer,” Kageyama grumbles. 

Tadashi just stares at his friends, confused. If Tsukki had been in love with him for that long, don’t you think he would know?? He’s supposed to be Tsukki’s best friend. That means that he’s supposed to know important things like this. If Tsukki is in love with him...wouldn’t Tadashi know it? Does that make him a bad friend if he doesn’t? 

“You must be mistaken,” he starts, but the looks he gets from his three friends shuts him up.

“Did you really not know?” Yachi asks gently. He shakes his head. 

“Jeez, Yamaguchi. And all this time we just thought you were leading him on.” Hinata is looking at him worriedly. “You okay?” 

“Tsukki’s...in love with me?” 

“I think you broke him,” Kageyama is looking at him like he’s a specimen in a lab. 

Hinata suddenly looks cautious. “You aren’t...I mean, it doesn’t disgust you, right? You aren’t mad?” 

“Mad?” Tadashi’s brain is having a problem processing the things being said to him. “Mad?” he asks again, “Why would I be mad? I couldn’t be mad. It’s Tsukki….”

“Oh good. I thought you would suddenly come out as some kind of homophobe. That would’ve sucked.”

Tadashi immediately shakes his head. That word computes instantly, even through his shocked haze. “Oh no, I’ve known that Tsukki’s gay for a long time. Like, probably before we knew what being gay was.” Tadashi stares at the table, still trying to understand. “Tsukki’s in love with me?” 

“That’s the second time you’ve asked that question. Are you okay?” 

Tadashi looks up at his friends, wonderment in his eyes. “Tsukki’s in love with me. Oh my gods. Oh my gods! The hugging, the...the chores, the lamps!” 

Hinata nods encouragingly. “Yachi said he was trying to woo you with some dumb five love languages thing.” 

“He had a 5-year plan!” Yachi pipes up. 

Tadashi laughs, throwing his head back so that his hair hangs over the chair back. “Of course he did!” He shakes his head in disbelief. “Oh gods. Now what?” 

They sit staring at him for a moment, as if Tadashi’s missed his cue. “Well? Do you love him back?” Kageyama demands, face oddly intense. 

“I….” Does he? Tadashi thinks about their lives together. How Tsukki was always there to support him, how he made him laugh when no one else could, how he saved him from the ugliness of the world. He thinks about the panicked look Tsukki would always get whenever they burned something in the kitchen, or his intense concentration when he’s listening to one of Tadashi’s problems, or the gleam he gets in his eyes when he talks about something he loves. Tadashi imagines a future with Tsukki -- with Kei. One where he wakes up next to him, Kei’s golden eyes glowing in the morning sunrise, his arm crushed between them on the bed, their long legs hopelessly tangled together. He imagines christmases and new years and golden weeks spent together. He imagines bringing Kei home as his boyfriend and his mom saying, “It’s about time!” 

“Yes,” he breathes. He wonders how he was so blind. Or maybe he just didn't want to get his hopes up too much. Tsukki always warns him about that. But this time. This time it might be okay to hope. 

“Oh my gods. I have to tell him,” Tadashi rushes to his feet, hastily throwing some money on the table. 

“Tell him we said hello!” Hinata yells after him.

“Tell him that we said ‘you’re welcome!’” Yachi yells faintly, but Tadashi is already out the door, sprinting as fast as he can. It’s probably not his best plan, since Akiteru’s shop is at least a fifteen minute bus ride from the restaurant, making it a ten to fifteen minute sprint, and Tadashi isn’t as fit as he used to be. He has to take a few breaks to walk and considers calling a cab a few times, but ultimately he’s glad for the running. It keeps him from overthinking.

Because he’s about to tell Tsukki that he’s in love with him. He’s about to... _he’s about to what?_

It’s too late, because now he’s at the flower boutique, its lights shining happily in the darkening night. Tadashi thinks his heart is going to thump out of his chest. He takes a deep breath. It’s just Tsukki. His best friend of thirteen years. He’s spent more years with Tsukki than without him. No one knows Tadashi better. No one could be better for him. 

He pushes the door open, the little bells attached to the door handle on the other side tinkling merrily. “Tsukki?” He calls out as he enters. 

Tsukki is standing behind the counter, an amused smirk on his face. “I was wondering how long you were going to stand out there.” Tadashi’s face pinkens. Oops. “What are you doing here, anyways? Isn’t the old gang meeting tonight?” 

“We finished eating,” Tadashi fibs. They...kind of finished eating? Wow, this confession is going great, he’s already lying to Tsukki. “I thought you might want the company.” 

Tsukki gives him a smile, small and genuine. “I definitely wouldn’t mind it.” And how has Tadashi never noticed before? Tsukki doesn’t give anyone else that smile. He doesn’t let anyone else hug him. He doesn’t invite anyone’s company more enthusiastically than Tadashi’s. Why is Tadashi only now realizing it? 

Tadashi ducks his head, then notices the flowers and leaves littering the floor. He looks back up. “Got a broom?” 

Which is how Tadashi finds himself sweeping the flower shop while Tsukki waters some of the ones with dry soil. They work in companionable silence, warmth and friendship and years of understanding filling the quiet of the shop. He chews on his bottom lip, wondering how he’s going to tell his best friend that he loves him. It can’t be that hard, right? Just a simple, I love you. 

Wait, no. That sounds so lame! Maybe...I’ve always loved you? No, that’s too much. Ugh. Tadashi is starting to understand why Tsukki came up with a 5-year plan. He mulls that thought over. Has Tsukki really been in love with him for 5 years? That’s a long time to quietly bide your time. What if Tsukki had told him earlier? Could they have had a relationship? Would Tadashi have accepted his feelings or not? He grips the broom handle a little tighter, a sudden and surprising burst of white-hot annoyance bubbling up inside of him. Who did Tsukki think he was, keeping this to himself for five years?

“What is wrong with you!?” Tadashi bursts out, shattering the comfortable silence.

“I’m sorry?” Tsukki asks, pausing in his watering. 

“I said, what is _wrong_ with you?” Tadashi takes a step towards his best friend. “When were you going to tell me that you loved me?” 

Tsukki’s -- Kei’s -- face pales, his expression unreadable. Then he schools his expression into a scary mask of blankness. “They told you.” 

Tadashi splutters, dropping the broom as he waves his hands around. “Well, yeah! Because apparently I’m even more oblivious than Kageyama! A 5-year plan, Tsukki?” He grips the counter, expression softening as he looks at Kei. “When were you going to tell me?” 

Kei avoids his eyes, fidgeting with his hands. “Maybe never,” he finally deflates, looking defeated. “The five years were up a few months ago.” 

“Why?” 

“Why what?” Kei looks like he’s trying to shut down, but Tadashi takes another step towards him, refusing to let it happen. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“Tadashi,” Kei’s voice is gentle, sad. It breaks his heart. Maybe Kei fell out of love with him sometime during these five years. He braces himself for the worst. “That one year when you moved to Tokyo was the worst year of my life,” Kei says, eyes trained strongly on the flowers. “Telling you how I felt has always included the risk of you reacting badly. I’m a coward, and I didn’t want you to leave again.” 

“Tsukki--”

“No, wait. I just...let me do what I should’ve done a few months ago.” Kei inhales audibly and looks Tadashi in the eye. “I love you, Yamaguchi Tadashi. I figured it out our third year of high school, and I was too scared to tell you then. I’m still too scared to tell you, even now,” his laugh is self-deprecating. “Because you are the most incredible person I’ve ever met. And I can’t imagine a future where I’m happy and you’re not by my side.” Kei breaks his eye contact. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize!” Tadashi blurts. It’s not the first thing he means to say, but he can’t let Kei think that he needs to apologize, not even for a second. “Don’t you dare apologize to me for that, Tsukishima Kei.” Tadashi steels himself and his wills his heart to calm the fuck down so he can take another step towards Kei, who’s looking at him with a soft expression of shock. 

“You’re just as dumb as me if you think that I don’t love you back.” 

At first, Kei looks annoyed at being called dumb, but then Tadashi’s words register and his eyes widen. It’s a beautiful sight, and Tadashi can’t help but laugh. “Do you actually think I even stood a chance? You’re funny and a huge dork and pretty damn cute.” Kei blushes, and Tadashi smiles triumphantly. “And you’ve never given up on me. Even when I wanted to give up on myself.” Tadashi takes the last step. They’re now a few feet away from each other, staring intensely. “So screw you for apologizing. I never want you to be sorry for that.” 

Kei is looking at him like he’s the most beautiful thing in the world, and it makes Tadashi feel seen. And for a kid who’s used to being shoved into the background, just the look in Kei’s eyes is enough to send his heart soaring. He will always and forever belong to Kei. There’s no way he couldn’t. They both move closer, until their lips are hovering a few centimeters away from each other. Tadashi desperately wants to press his lips to Kei’s, but even now he’s a bit nervous about the implications. Once they kiss, there’s no going back.

“Hey Tadashi?” Kei’s breath ghosts over his face.

“Yeah?” 

“Sorry if this is lame, but can I kiss you?”

Tadashi rushes forward, smashing his lips to Kei’s. Their kiss is the culmination of every movie marathon, every night spent staring at a darkened lamp, every side hug and burnt meal and museum visit. It’s every reason why Kei means the world to Tadashi. 

They pull away, still suspended in the moment. “Now what?” Kei whispers.

“Now we make a new 5-year plan,” Tadashi smiles back, pushing one of Kei’s blonde curls behind his ear. “Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY KISSED


	7. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Free Day!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who followed this story throughout this week! It was so much fun to write and all of your encouraging comments were a huge source of support! I appreciate every single one of you! Anyways, enjoy this chapter, I had a lovely time writing this entire fic :)
> 
> WOW Please enjoy this [lovely art](https://lessons-from-moths.tumblr.com/post/638122902907191296/sorry-if-this-is-lame-but-can-i-kiss-you) of the Yams/Tsukki kiss from last chapter created by [akeminz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/akeminz/pseuds/akeminz) ([instagram](https://www.instagram.com/_akeminz/) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/vioIetlight))  
> and also the first year reunion sketch plus bonus altar sketch I AM EMOTIONAL AND AM IN LOVE anyways here's the chapter :)

The flowers look beautiful.

It kind of hurts to admit, but Akiteru did an incredible job. The bulk of them are arranged in an arch, pastel purple and pastel blue and white, a symbol of love and friendship and eternity. 

Being with Tadashi has turned him into a sap.

There are flowers scattered throughout the room, too, arrangements standing guard at the ends of rows of chairs, petals lining the aisle leading down to the flower arch, large arrangements hanging from the ceilings of the room. It kind of looks like a fairytale in here, and Kei is suddenly glad that Tadashi convinced him that they needed to splurge a bit on the photographer. He doesn’t want to forget a single moment from today.

Well, except maybe this one.

“Are you nervous? You’re gonna be fine, you’re not even the one doing the walking. All you have to do is stand here and wait. Don’t be nervous, Kei. Unless he decides to run away. Then you can be nervous.” 

“Shut. Up,” Kei hisses through his teeth. He’s greatly regretting asking Akiteru to be not only his florist, but also his best man. 

“Oh, someone’s afraid they’re gonna be left at the altar,” Akiteru teases. Kei clenches his jaw shut so he won’t deck his brother in front of all of their wedding guests. Tadashi had insisted on inviting anyone who impacted their relationship or lives, so the guest list was long. Thankfully, due to the short notice of the wedding, the attending RSVPs weren’t overwhelming. It still doesn’t mean that Kei wants the hundred or so people that are currently staring at him to watch him punch his best man during his own wedding. 

There’s a shift in music and Tadashi appears, a grin on his face. He looks like something straight out of a dream. His hair is tied back tidily, with only a few crazy strands standing out, and he looks insanely good in his pressed suit. He walks down the aisle without much fanfare and without anyone accompanying him. When he makes it to the altar, wedged between Hinata and Kei, he leans conspiratorially towards Kei. 

“You’re too tense,” he teases, echoing the words Kei would always say to him back when he got too nervous serving. “So this is happening, huh?” 

“Shut up, Tadashi. It’s starting.”

“Sorry, Kei.” 

They’re both grinning like idiots, and the officiant -- also Tadashi’s older sister -- rolls her eyes. As she starts running through words about marriage and lifelong love, Kei’s mind wanders. He can’t stop looking at Tadashi, whose expression is coy and nonchalant, much like the day he presented the idea of this day.

_“What if we make Phase 3 marriage?”_ Tadashi had asked, munching on a sandwich during their lunch breaks. 

_“Are you proposing to me?”_

Tadashi had grinned, his expression mischievous and angelic all at once. _“Maybe I am, Tsukishima-san. How do you feel about that?”_

Kei had felt like the luckiest man in the world. _“I feel like we need to revise our 5-year plan.”_

Tadashi had lost the feral look in his eyes, instead taking another bite of his sandwich and humming contemplatively. _“I think we can do that.”_

Tadashi’s been doing that a lot in the past three years. He has the tendency to flip Kei’s plans on their heads, forcing him to rework and reconsider and remake all of his plans. He finds that, despite how annoying altering the plan is, he doesn’t mind. Mostly because all Tadashi ever does is improve his already working plans until they’re something new and wonderful. 

Phases 1 and 2 went by so quickly that sometimes Kei wonders if they ever existed. They agreed that for the first year they would ease into the transition from friends to boyfriends, but they quickly realized that it wasn’t much different than before. Of course, they had to have more conversations about consent and physical affection and boundaries, but while the tune changed the beat stayed the same, allowing them to slip into something that was much deeper than the connection they shared before. 

Phase 1 began fine: introducing each other to their families with their new titles, hanging out with each others’ friend groups, and learning to share their lives, but it was quickly turned on its head when Kei’s lease finished up and they decided to once again move in together, this time as partners. Kei constantly worried about it being too early, too fast, too everything. But Tadashi was there to satiate his fears and let him know that while plans were great, just sitting back and enjoying where life takes you can be great (if not stressful) too. Since Phase 2 originally involved moving in together, they had to rework it. Instead, it involved moving into a bigger place and going on their first vacation together and talks about getting a dog. Kei managed to convince Tadashi to wait a little longer on the dog, but it’s inevitable at this point. 

He’s brought back to the present when Tadashi gathers Kei’s hands in his, squeezing them to make sure he has Kei’s attention. Tadashi jerks his head minutely towards his sister, who is moving to the end of her speech. Kei smiles gratefully at his fiancee. 

“And so it seems only fitting that we’re all here today, watching these childhood best friends become lifelong best friends. May you two continue to be for the other what you’ve always been: a warm place to sit on a cold day, a familiar face in a sea of strangers, and a support for the other to lean on. As long as you have each other, you’ll never have to worry about going it alone.” 

She launches into the part about vows and such, and Kei already has reluctant tears in his eyes. Dammit. He will not cry, he will not cry, he will not cry. He looks at Tadashi and sends him a murderous glare when he realizes that his fiancee is _laughing at him. At the altar._ Screw Tadashi, he’s going to cry all he wants because it’s _his_ wedding day too and he’s finally getting married to his best friend. His first love. His last love. 

He chokes out the words that Tadashi’s sister tells him to and then they’re kissing, Tadashi carefully cupping his face and wiping at Kei’s cheeks with his thumbs as they make out in front of their closest family and friends.

“You’re such a dork, Tsukki,” Tadashi teases again. Kei loves that as their relationship has evolved, Tadashi’s gotten more and more coquettish. It’s insanely attractive. “Are you really that sad to be marrying me?” 

Kei takes Tadashi’s hand in his, pulling _his husband_ down the aisle as flower petals are thrown at them, fluttering to the ground in a rain of beauty. “Absolutely devastated,” he monotones back, eager to get them out of the view of all of these people. Dammit, why is the aisle so long? 

The second they close the ceremony room’s door behind them, Kei has Tadashi pinned against the wall as he kisses him senseless, unable to hear or touch or feel or smell anything but Tadashi and those damn flowers. “Eager, aren’t we?” Tadashi murmurs against Kei’s lips, and Kei just kisses him with a renewed vigor. 

After a few more minutes Tadashi reluctantly pulls away, lips swollen and face flushed. “Relax, we’re married now. We can do this for the rest of our lives.”

“You promise?” Kei grins wickedly back, leaning in to kiss his husband -- _husband!_ \-- again. 

Tadashi just laughs, pushing him away. “Come on, we have to make our official introduction.” He notices Kei’s reluctance and pulls him away, out of the building and towards the car that will drive them the short ways to their reception hall. “We can make out in the car,” Tadashi sings in a taunt. He leans in close to Kei’s ear. “I don’t even care if the driver sees.”

“So shameless, Tadashi.” His husband yanks him into the backseat of the waiting car, a sinful look on his face.

“You know me so well.” 

Yes, he does. He’s known Tadashi in every way there is to know another person, just as Tadashi knows him. Kei loves him in five thousand different ways, and he can’t wait to find five thousand more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a beautiful world where gay marriage is legal and recognized in all of Japan. And yes this is very western-style, but oh well!
> 
> Tadashi is the biggest damn flirt and Kei would 1 million percent cry at their wedding and that's all I have to say about that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoy the rest of the week!! Feel free to leave kudos or comments if you enjoyed, I respond to all comments! xx


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